Eddystone Manufacturing Company, 1857-1962
Part of collection: Joseph Bancroft & Sons, predecessors, and subsidiaries' records (0736)
Dates
- Creation: 1857-1962
Historical Note
The Eddystone Manufacturing Company, Ltd., was formed under the limited partnership laws of Pennsylvania in 1877. It was reincorporated as the Eddystone Manufacturing Company, Inc., in 1895. The firm operated a cotton prints factory at Eddystone, Pennsylvania. It became the Print Works Division of Joseph Bancroft Sons & Company in 1929. The corporate organization was maintained as a shell company until 1959.
The company grew out of a textile mill built at the Falls of Schuylkill near Philadelphia in 1836 by William Simpson (1812-1888) and John Halliday (1810-1875). The firm continued with several changes in partners, and by 1869 it was known as William Simpson & Sons. Simpson built the Eddystone factory as a collateral enterprise for the manufacture of their line of cotton prints. Eddystone offered plenty of open space for a large, steam-powered factory, in contrast to the constricted water power site at the Falls. The firm of William Simpson & Sons was dissolved in 1892, and Eddystone became the main operation.
The company expanded its product line to offer wide goods, percales, and draperies in 1896; custom printing in 1909; wash goods in 1915; and plissé and printed warps in 1922. The firm introduced its "Fast Color" line of dyed and printed cottons in 1924 and its "Everglaze" permanent glazed finish in 1937. Rayon processing began in 1929.
Scope and Contents
The records of the Eddystone Manufacturing Company are relatively complete and offer a good picture of the medium-sized textile firm that was typical of the mid-Atlantic states.
This record group is divided into to following nine series: I. Administrative records; II. General accounts; III. Purchase and receiving; IV. Production records and labor; V. Sales and shipping; VI. Correspondence and related papers; VII. Design books, clippings, and miscellany; VIII. Blueprints and maps; IX. Artifacts.
The administrative records of the Eddystone Manufacturing Company include incorporation papers, charters, bylaws, directors' minutes (1877-1959), executive committee minutes (1943-1957); president's reports (1927-1933), reports of sales representatives (1934-1943) and treasurer's reports (1877-1903, 1927-1955). There are also deeds, mortgages and agreements, trademark and patent papers, and papers relating to the sale of the Eddystone & Delaware River Railroad Company. There is a series of general accounting records followed by a series of purchasing and receiving records.
The production and labor records include payroll and salary books (1877-1937), payroll and time records (1892-1947), and other various employment records (1910-1958). There are statements of the amounts and costs of production, as well as machinery and repair records.
Sales and shipping records include mill orders, sales books, and documentation of production costs compared to sales value.
The correspondence and related records include a 1930 report on the consolidation with Bancroft and the files of Vice President Frank Bromley (1890-1972), which include customer and special correspondence, with production reports, orders, and memoranda, etc. There are also dispensary report cards (circa 1928-1942) and patent and trademark material relating to "Everglaze."
The Design books, clippings, and miscellany series include design books for dress goods (1914-1916), historical articles and clippings about the company, and an employee's quarterly (1929-1931).
There is also a small series of blueprints and maps and a small series of fabric samples and other artifacts.
Extent
From the Collection: 588 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Additional Description
Access Restrictions
No restrictions on access; this collection is open for research.
These records are located in remote storage. Please contact staff 48 hours in advance of research visit at askhagley@hagley.org
Related Names
Creator
- From the Collection: Joseph Bancroft & Sons Co (Organization)
- From the Collection: Eddystone Manufacturing Company (Organization)
Repository Details
Repository Details
Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository
